Letters for May 9

Baumgartner fails to respond

Mr. Penna asks for readers to stop bashing Mr. Baumgartner (Letters, May 2). Perhaps that might happen when Mr. Baumgartner decides to represent constituents that have legitimate concerns that they write to him about and get a real response rather than the same form letter that he sends out.

I have written him through his email address three times, and I receive the same form letter. I want to know why he won’t address the Trump’s administration failure to obey the legal orders from the Supreme Court. By not standing up for the rule of law, Mr. Baumgartner is complicit in that and is violating his oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution.

Maybe, if he wasn’t so busy trying to take over college sports, he would have time to offer a real response to his constituent’s concerns.

Addendum: I finally did get a response from Mr. Baumgartner, but he has not addressed the issue.

Carl Greenberg

Spokane

Peace, yes; conquest, no

According to a Spokesman-Review article published Feb. 23, 2022, “There are roughly 30,000 Ukrainian Americans in Spokane County.” Many probably have relatives and friends still living in Ukraine. But President Trump appears to be pressuring Ukraine’s President Zelensky into ceding significant Ukrainian lands to Russia as part of a peace agreement. Do they know that’s a violation of International Law, specifically the UN Charter’s Article 2(4)?

Craig Forcese, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, provides a timely (Jan. 12, 2025) and concise discussion of the essential facts of law in Article 2(4). Find it by searching: “craig forcese” “acquisition of territory and international law”. That article prohibits a state (nation) from using or threatening force to take another state’s territory. Also, “states must refrain from recognizing territorial acquisitions that result from unlawful uses of force. They are also prohibited from providing assistance that sustains such illegal situations.” Like President Trump is now doing for Russia in Ukraine. For “peace in our time”?

Furthermore, “Importantly, even if annexation follows a peace treaty, it remains unlawful if the treaty itself was procured through force. Treaties that violate the UN Charter through the threat or use of force are void under international law. Therefore, any territorial transfers arising from such treaties have no legal effect.” Got it?

Ukrainian Americans and refugees here must lead the fight against illegally ceding any of Ukraine’s territory to Russia and stop President Trump from making a grievous mistake. Peace, yes; conquest, no.

Bob Strong

Spokane

When bills die children go hungry

The proposal of universal K-12 schools meals – previously at the top of the governor’s priorities – has died.

This hurts Washington students as nearly half are identified as low-income according to the Office of Superintendent and Public Instruction, demonstrating there is a clear need for universal school meals. Additionally, students cannot perform their best if they are hungry; but with guaranteed daily breakfast and lunch, the risk of hunger, shame, and debt could have been eliminated.

School staff benefit too because it eliminates the need for daily oversight of which students get access to school meals. One of the most compelling components in each of these bills was that all students could participate and receive the benefits regardless of their household income. Most importantly, a child’s right to an adequate meal was going to be fulfilled and recognized without their parent or guardian’s income getting in the way. Because why let children go hungry based on their parent or guardians’ income?

With open participation at any income, universal school meals in Washington public schools reduced an economic stressor for families while implementing a child’s right to nutritious meals.

Julie Campos

Spokane